BRENDAN RODGERS is relishing the opportunity to pair Fabio Borini and Luis Suarez as part of Liverpool FC’s new look forward line.

BRENDAN RODGERS is relishing the opportunity to pair Fabio Borini and Luis Suarez as part of Liverpool FC’s new look forward line.

Suarez returns to Melwood this week following Uruguay’s elimination from the Olympic Games and could line up alongside summer signing Borini on Thursday night against FC Gomel.

Italian striker Borini, a £10.4m acquisition from Roma, made his full Reds debut last week in the 1-0 win over the Belarusians in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie.

Stewart Downing struck the only goal of the game at the Central Stadium as Liverpool survived a scare to bring a lead back to Anfield this week.

Rodgers acknowledged that the Reds’ performance was not the best but was delighted with the fighting spirit his troops showed to grind out the result.

Jamie Carragher, making his 700th appearance for the club, has already won high praise from Rodgers for his showing in Belarus and now Borini’s efforts on the night have earned praise from the Ulsterman.

The 21-year-old played as Liverpool’s central striker in Belarus but Rodgers hints that he sees his long-term role as on the left of a three pronged attack.

Borini worked tenaciously with little reward against Gomel but his manager says it was important that the former Chelsea player got in a full 90-minute workout as the team step up their preparations for the first game of the season at West Bromwich Albion.

"It was important for him to play the full 90 minutes,” said Rodgers.

“We have to remember he is just coming back from the European Championships and, once we get Luis back, he will give us greater penetration from the left and improve the team.

"He will get goals.

“So, it was a satisfactory beginning for him and the most important thing was his fitness."

Daniel Agger, meanwhile, boosted his fitness ahead of the season with a behind closed doors friendly with Rochdale yesterday.

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Alastair Machray

Alastair Machray was appointed editor of The Liverpool Echo in 2005 and is also editor-in-chief of Trinity Mirror Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales. He is a former editor of The Daily Post (Wales and England) and editor-in-chief of the company's Welsh operations. Married dad-of-two and keen golfer Alastair is one of the longest-serving newspaper editors in the country. His titles have won numerous awards and spearheaded numerous successful campaigns.